Kampia’s War


Rob Fmt

For the uninitiated, the spectacular ascent of marijuana legalization might seem sudden. But for advocates such as Rob Kampia, the current spate of activity is the culmination of decades of untiring effort fighting the war on marijuana. As executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) since 1995, he has helped shape the sea change sweeping the nation.

After graduating as high school valedictorian in the mid-1980s, the Pennsylvania native’s college career was interrupted by a three-month stint in county jail. The engineering major was arrested and convicted for growing marijuana for personal use. Undeterred, when he ran for – and won – election as student body president at Penn State University and graduated with honors.

Three days after graduation, Kampia was en route to Washington, D.C., to work on ending marijuana prohibition. In 1995, he co-founded the Marijuana Policy Project and has been leading the charge ever since.

MPPs first victory was in April of its founding year, helping to establish shorter sentences for those convicted of cultivation and resulting in the early release of almost 1,000 federal marijuana prisoners.

The next year saw perhaps one of the movement’s most significant legal developments. California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana. The newly-founded MPP didn’t have the financial clout it does today, but was able to provide legal advice during the process.

Every subsequent year has had its victories, and, at press time, medical marijuana is now legal in 23 states and Washington, D.C. And this year promises to be one of the best yet.

“This year will certainly be the most pivotal year in the history of marijuana policy reform,” says Kampia. “Previously, the two most important years were 1996, when California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana, and 2012, when Colorado and Washington simultaneously became the first two states to regulate marijuana like alcohol. 2016 is more important, simply because a record number of states will be voting on marijuana measures this November.”

Kampia’s road to legalization has had some bumps, though. Most notably, a sexual scandal in 2010 resulted in several staff resignations and a three-month hiatus for Kampia for therapy and counseling. Kampia admitted he was suffering from depression and had not behaved appropriately toward some staff members. “Because my judgment was bad,” he admits. “I feel really terrible about what I put others through.”

Now with formal, written policies in place, MPP employs 30 people, including two congressional lobbyists. It is actually three different organizations: MPP focuses on lobbying and ballot initiatives and has an annual budget of about $3 million; the MPP Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to education with a $2 million budget; and the MPP PAC donates to congressional candidates with a $100,000 budget.

Kampia notes that this year voters in five states will vote on legalization efforts: Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada.

“I predict that at least four of these five measures will pass if we raise a sufficient amount of money for TV, radio and web advertising this fall,” he says.

Of those, there has been news of clashes in Arizona between MPP and a conflicting ballot initiative. However, MPP’s fundraising abilities and number of local supporters make its initiative look like the winner; at press time its initiative had almost enough signatures to make the ballot.

Two medical marijuana initiatives also will be voted on in November in Missouri and Florida. Kampia says voters will likely pass both, while noting that Florida requires a 60-percent majority, which resulted in a failed ballot measure in 2014.

As well as ballot measures, there is plenty of activity with state legislatures as well. Kampia is looking at Vermont as possibly the first state to legalize marijuana legislatively. “We have strong allies in the state Senate, the House speaker is openly supportive, and Gov. Peter Shumlin is a long-time supporter of various reform measures,” Kampia says. In addition, Rhode Island’s legislature is looking at legalization bills this spring.

But even with growing support nationally, he avoids assuming that any legalization effort is a foregone conclusion.

“I view the word ‘inevitable’ as a curse word. When people say that marijuana legalization is ‘inevitable,’ they’re not really telling the truth. People said the same thing in the 1970s, and then Nancy Reagan was elected president in 1980,” jokes Kampia, “and then helped increase the penalties for marijuana nationwide.”

Keeping track of nationwide legal issues is monumental, as is fundraising and networking. Kampia’s travel schedule is daunting. When not traveling, he splits his time between homes in Washington, D.C., and Austin, Texas.

This year will certainly be the most pivotal year in the history of marijuana policy reform. … 2016 is more important, simply because a record number of states will be voting on marijuana measures this November.

To keep up with his hectic schedule, Kampia has been focusing on his health. Sleeping more, eliminating alcohol, eating better and exercising have led to greater energy for his cross-country crusade.

But there’s still time for a little fun. Earlier this year, Advanced Nutrients owner Michael “Big Mike” Straumietis (widely referred to as the “Marijuana Don”) handed out the first-ever “Maverick Awards” to industry stand-outs during a party attended by more than 500 guests at his “Marijuana Mansion” in Hollywood Hills, with Kampia named as one of the first winners.

“There was no award honoring the innovators and pioneers in the cannabis industry who put their necks and freedom on the line before cannabis was cool,” said Straumietis.

Helen M. Stone is a degreed horticulture professional who has been covering the turf and landscape industry in the Southwest for more than 25 years. She has been committed to promoting education and professionalism in the “green industry” as founding publisher of Southwest Trees & Turf from 1996-2012, which she currently edits. Through her business Stone Peak Services, she works a freelance writer, consultant, public speaker and conference coordinator.

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